Bumiputera contractors praised Penang for ending crony capitalism and patronage politics

Bumi contractors hail Penang for ending patronage politics

12:38PM Nov 30, 2011

Winning a government contract during BN rule in Penang used to be all about ‘know-who’, according to Class F Contractors Association of Penang president Tahir Jalaluddin Hussain.

"(It) had nothing to do with how efficient or competitive you are," he was quoted as saying in a focus paper released by non-profit group Research for Social Advancement (Refsa), which cited various sources.

Tahir reportedly said the open tender system has encouraged greater productivity among bumiputera contractors where previously, “the road to a government contract was through the local Umno division head".

"There was no other way. And you had better be prepared to pay a commission... they don't help you for free," he said.

“The biggest difference is that genuine Malay contractors are now getting contracts based on nothing but their own capabilities.”

In its analysis, Refsa considered this to be the most important achievement of the open tender system being implemented in Penang.

It also said rehabilitation of the image of Class F contractors is another positive outcome.

"Those who flourish in Penang do so, not as cronies but on ... merit. Professional pride is replacing the once negative image associated with Class F contractors," the paper said.

"More importantly, it has eliminated rent-seeking and patronage politics."

The paper noted that Malay contractors have won more than 70 percent of tenders awarded by the state government.

In the three years that the system has been implemented, the Malay contractors’ ‘win’ rate has exceeded 90 percent at several state government agencies.

Criticism of policy

Umno leaders had criticised the policy change as an attempt to curtail Malay entrepreneurship and an affront to bumiputera rights, said Refsa.

However, MCA had charged that Chinese interests have been threatened since the DAP came to power.

Lim had produced figures from 2008-2010 to show that 18 projects valued at RM41 million had been awarded to bumiputera contractors.

They also won 98 percent of state contracts through the Public Works Department from January 2008 to November 2010, valued at RM20.4 million.

Refsa, however, said it is "all in the numbers", since the federal government stipulates that only contractors licensed by the Finance Ministry may bid for contracts - and 94 percent of licensed contractors are bumiputeras anyway.

Furthermore, Class F licences for jobs below RM200,000 are exclusively for bumiputeras, the report noted.

"It follows then that most contracts in Penang are won by bumiputeras. The (Penang) government is not being discriminatory. It is complying with federal government policies," the report added.

National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) and Najib’s “Non-transformation programs”

NFC puts Najib's transformations in poor light

Kim Quek
1:08PM Nov 16, 2011

COMMENT By BN standards, the National Feedlot Corporation project scandal is no big deal, as it involves no more than RM300 million of public funds.

But the intensive debate over it has allowed us to gauge the country's current state of governance, and more importantly, whether there has been a paradigm shift in the BN leadership under the various transformation programmes brought in by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak (left).

The current scandal is typical of BN misadventures with public funds; a large sum is given to an incompetent crony who squanders the money without bringing the project to fruition.

And the response by BN leaders, from the prime minister down, has been nothing but a series of cover-ups and excuses.
There has been no attempt to face the problem squarely and come up with effective remedial measures.

The culture of transparency and accountability seems to be alien to these people, despite hundreds of millions of taxpayers' ringgit being dumped to trumpet Najib's many ‘transformations' for the country.

The National Feedlot Corporation Sdn Bhd (NFC) was given the task to "transform the Malaysian cattle and beef industry into a world-class halal beef producer", according to news agency Bernama, reporting on the signing ceremony of the RM250 million soft loan on Dec 6, 2007.

Target production was 60,000 heads of cattle for Phase 1 from the feedlot in Gemas. Operation was scheduled to start in February 2008.

NFC in a mess

Four years on, the auditor-general in his 2010 report stated that the NFC project was in a mess. The total number of cows slaughtered was only 5,742 up to November last year.

Even by the scaled-down target of 8,000 cows per year, the project is a flop.

Compounding this unpalatable report is the discovery of money being misused, such as RM10 million to buy a luxurious condominium and over RM800,000 for overseas travelling and entertainment in 2009, despite the company running at a loss of RM7 million in 2008 and RM11 million in 2009.
It looks like NFC will meet the same fate as so many other BN forerunners such as the PKFZ, Perwaja, etc - besides losing hefty public funds, the dream of transforming this or that is gone.

And who owns NFC? The family of Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, Women, Welfare and Community Development Minister, and head of Wanita Umno.
Her husband, Mohamad Salleh Ismail, is the chairperson, and of her children, one is CEO and two are executive directors of the company.

Expertise and experience in the business of cattle production and beef supply of the Shahrizat family is nil.

There are more than 300 feedlot farms in this country, and many established businesses in the beef supply industry.

With our people's accumulation of expertise in this area, shouldn't we have entrusted the important mission of boosting domestic beef production to entrepreneurs who are better qualified than the Shahrizat family?

Top guns to the defence

Added to the comedy is the scrambling to defend NFC and Shahrizat by personages no less than the prime minister, the deputy prime minister, the agriculture and agro-based industries minister, the Umno Youth leader, and now the latest, former prime minister Abdullah Badawi.

The PM said in Parliament on Nov 11 that there was no wrong-doing, and that production will soon increase to "12,000 cattle from 6,000 previously".

The DPM, who started the project when he was then the minister involved, said in a press conference on Oct 29 that he saw nothing "unusual or anything wrong" with the project and passed the buck to current Agriculture Minister Noh Omar, to answer further questions.

Noh (left) denied any impropriety in the award of this project and called the project a "success", giving various reasons for the meagre production.

Umno Youth leader Khairy Jamaluddin, who holds no government post, has strangely emerged as the most vocal defender. However, his lengthy discourse seems to excel more in offensive language than in helpful facts.

And even former premier Abdullah Badawi has come to Shahrizat's rescue. He said on Nov 15 that there was no need for her to resign as she is not the CEO and hence not involved. This was in answer to repeated calls for Shahrizat to resign.

Strangely, no one seems to have called for the two ministers concerned to be brought to book - the previous agriculture minister (now DPM) Muhyiddin Yassin for having dubiously awarded the project to an incompetent recipient and the current minister Noh Omar for failing to properly oversee the execution of the project.

As for our corruption watchdog MACC, it had remained eerily silent since the scandal broke out almost three weeks ago until the scandal got overheated and it passed the buck to the police two days ago, saying that this is a police case, not a MACC case.

Will police do anything? Your guess is as good as mine.

There you are, Najib's transformations for you.

---

KIM QUEK is a retired accountant and author of the banned book ‘The March to Putrajaya’.

Source: Malaysiakini: NFC puts Najib's transformations in poor light

Speech by Lim Guan Eng At Foreign Correspondents Club, Singapore

Speech by The Honourable Lim Guan Eng Chief Minister of Penang At Foreign Correspondents Club, Singapore
12 August, 2011

Changing Penang in a Changing World: Transforming Penang

Ladies and gentlemen thank you very much for inviting me here to speak. I come here as the Chief Minister of Penang, one of four states led by Pakatan Rakyat or the People's Pact, the opposition coalition in Malaysia. I am from the Democratic Action Party, one of three coalition partners. I am extremely proud to be given the opportunity to govern the beautiful vibrant state of Penang and delighted to have the opportunity to speak to you. I hope by the end of my remarks you will consider coming to visit and invest in Penang, as it continues to be an attractive location for business and pleasure alike.

It is wonderful to be in Singapore. We have so much in common; shared history and people. Our bonds are deeply intertwined, culturally, politically and economically. I would like to highlight some of our common features. We are both small states that have punched above our weight economically through the hard work and creativity of our people. We have both been successes despite our size and obstacles we share. Today, more than 25%Malaysia's exports in terms of value and volume come from Penang -
more than half of the country's electronics are produced there - and we are among the top tourist destinations in Malaysia with a record numbers of visitors. Like Singapore, we appreciate the importance of planning, a favorable market environment for investors and fiscal responsibility. We both have worked hard to put ourselves on the map internationally, and done so successfully.

Jphn R Malott says EC arguments seriously flawed

Why EC's arguments are seriously flawed

John R Malott
Aug 24, 11
7:53am

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COMMENT There has been much informed discussion in Malaysia over the past two months about electoral reform, with thoughtful proposals from reformers and counter-statements by the government.
In this article, the first of two, I take a look at some of the proposals that have been made and compare Malaysia's situation to that of other countries.
Lowering voting age

From an international perspective, Malaysia's 21 year age requirement is out of step with the rest of the world.
Wikipedia lists the voting ages in almost 240 countries and territories around the world, and overwhelmingly the predominant voting age is 18. Malaysia is one of only 12 countries where a voter must be 21.
Let's look at Malaysia's Asian neighbours. You need be only 18 to vote in Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Laos, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam.
In Indonesia and East Timor, it is 17; in South Korea, 19; and in Japan and Taiwan, 20. Together with Singapore, Malaysia is the only country in Asia to set the voting age at 21.
Let's also take a look at other nations in the Commonwealth, whose governmental structures and constitutions have all been influenced heavily by the British.
The voting age is 18 in Australia, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Bermuda, Canada, Ghana, India, Jamaica, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Uganda, the United Kingdom and Zimbabwe. Once again, Malaysia is an outlier.
In Malaysia, when citizens turn 18, they have the legal right to get married, have consensual sex, sign contracts, and buy alcohol and tobacco. They can leave school and work when they are 16, and they can drive when they are 17.
They do not, however, have the right to vote until they are 21. Why does this age gap exist?
Malaysia's age limit clearly is out of step with the rest of the world and also is inconsistent with the legal rights it grants its citizens at an earlier age, from marriage through employment.
Extending the campaign period
Bersih 2.0 advocates extending the campaign period to 21 days, but the Elections Commission is opposed to it. EC deputy chief Wan Ahmad Wan Omar says that a shorter period is sufficient for a nation of Malaysia's size and technological sophistication.
However, a number of Malaysian advocates of electoral reform have pointed out that in years past, Malaysia's election campaigns extended beyond 21 days.
Let's take a look at Wan Ahmad's justification for a short campaign and examine the campaign periods in other Commonwealth countries, with which Malaysia shares a political heritage.
The 2010 Australian elections were announced on July 17, and the polls were held five weeks later, on Aug 21.
Using Wan Ahmad's logic, Australia needs a longer campaign period because it is a big country. So let's look at some smaller-sized places, which also are technologically sophisticated.
The 2010 elections in the United Kingdom were announced on April 12 and held on May 6. That is a campaign period of 24 days.
This year's parliamentary elections in New Zealand were announced on Feb 2, but they will not be held until Nov 26, almost 10 months later!
What about Singapore, a nation that is only 582 sq km in area, just 0.2% of Malaysia's size? Their Parliament was dissolved on April 19 of this year, and the elections were held on May 7, which was 20 days later.
Wan Ahmad argues that the length of a campaign period is correlated to a country's size and sophistication, but as the examples of the UK, New Zealand, and Singapore show, the argument doesn't hold water.
Finally, while Malaysia's land area is smaller than other India or Australia, the physical separation of the nation into its eastern and western halves has an impact on national election campaigns. The flying distance between Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu is 1,624 km.
That is just 42km short of the distance between Bombay and Calcutta, and 123km less than the distance between New Delhi and Chennai. So for political leaders who need to criss-cross the country, the length of the campaign is important.
Using indelible ink
Bersih 2.0 advocates the use of indelible ink, which has proven to be a low-tech but effective method to prevent electoral fraud. EC deputy chief Wan Ahmad has made a number of points in opposition.
First, Wan Ahmad claims that Malaysia's Constitution would need to be amended, because the government cannot deny a registered voter his or her right to vote. This is incredibly perverse logic.
The purpose of indelible ink is not to prevent someone from voting; it is to prevent someone from voting twice, fraudulently and illegally. It is a crime-prevention and not a vote-prevention measure. Furthermore, when the government imported indelible ink for the 2008 elections, no one claimed then that the Constitution needed to be amended.
Wan Ahmad's second argument is chauvinistic. He says that indelible ink is for poorer, less sophisticated countries like India and Indonesia. Sophisticated countries like Malaysia deserve a more high-tech system like biometrics.
But then, in the same breath, he says that voters in the countryside are not sophisticated, and that they could be duped by people who dip their fingers in ink before they vote. So which is it - are Malaysians sophisticated or not?
Indelible ink has been in use in Indian elections since 1952, and there have been no accusations of fraud. The peasantry have not been duped. True, there have been problems in the Philippines because they used a lower quality ink that can be removed easily.

But Indian ink - which is what the Malaysian government imported in 2008 - stays on the skin for 72 hours and cannot be removed.
The irony is that many Malaysians believe that the proposed high-tech biometric system will lead to more fraud and more problems, not less. The equipment and database will be under the control of the government. Some blog reports say that the Malaysian companies that provide this kind of equipment have close political and family connections to government leaders.
Furthermore, as we all know, any computer system and database is only as good as the information that we put into it. High-tech systems are also prone to crash.
Can Malaysia deploy biometric equipment to thousands of polling places across the country, train personnel, and ensure both electricity and Internet connectivity, especially in the rural areas? A low-tech solution - indelible ink - seems easier, cheaper, and more reliable.
Permitting foreign observers
When Wan Ahmad was asked last July whether Malaysia would invite foreign groups to observe the country's next elections, the EC deputy chief became emotional and nationalistic: “Why do we need foreigners... commenting on our election system? They don't know our election laws. They don't understand our values.”
It is a matter of pride, he said. Malaysians would be hurt by the negative comments of foreign observers. “They are foreigners. Who are they? Why do we need Germans commenting on our election system?”
The irony is that he made these comments just as his boss, Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof, was in Thailand on a five-day trip with four other Malaysian election commissioners to observe the Thai elections. The Malaysian group had been invited by the Thai Election Commission, along with 11 other countries.
As in Malaysia, voters in Thailand are divided on the question whether their elections are free and fair. An Asia Foundation survey in 2009 found a split - 47% of those Thai surveyed said their elections are free and fair, while 48% disagreed.
But when asked whether the presence of election observers would give them more confidence that the results of the elections were fair, 62% said yes. Only 34% said that it would not.
From that point of view, it is in the government's interest to invite both domestic and foreign groups to observe the next elections. The heavy-handed government crackdown last July 9 against the Bersih rally certainly got the world's attention and raised international concern that all might not be as it seems in Malaysia.
The government says that elections are free and fair. The world needs to be assured about the strength and integrity of Malaysia's democracy. Inviting foreign observers is not an issue of national pride; it is a question of national interest.

JOHN R MALOTT was the US Ambassador to Malaysia, 1995-1998, and continues to follow developments in that country closely.

Eye witness reports to Suhakam – Police attack on Tung Shin Hospital

REPORT TO

THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OF MALAYSIA (SUHAKAM)

BERSIH 2.0, 9^th july 2011

Summary of Eyewitness Reports on the “Attack”

on Tung Shin Hospital & Chinese Maternity Hospital by Enforcement Officers

An open call to the public was made via the Internet for members of the public who were at Tung Shin Hospital and Chinese Maternity Hospital on the 9^thof July 2011, between 2.00 p,m. to 4.00 p.m. to give their statements on the Bersih 2.0 Rally. Eighteen eyewitnesses gave their statements, via email or through direct interviews (in person and over the phone). Below is a summary of the statements.

1. Evidence: 18 Eyewitness Statements

- 15 Eyewitnesses present at Tung Shin Hospital during the Bersih 2.0 rally

-   9  Eyewitnesses also present at Chinese Maternity Hospital during the Bersih 2.0 rally

2. Evidence: Photographic evidence of tear gas & water cannons fired into hospital compounds during the Bersih 2.0 Rally

-  Photographs obtained from members of the public

-  Videos obtained from members of the public

Summary of the Evidence:

“There was no provocation of the police forces by the crowd (no heckling, no chanting of offensive slogans, and no physical provocation) despite the fact that we had been corralled on either end of the road by police and were NOT allowed to disperse or to move on with the march.”

Consistent throughout the statements from the eyewitnesses near and in Tung Shin Hospital and Chinese Maternity Hospital was the expression of peacefulness and civility displayed by the participants at the Bersih 2.0 rally.  This is contrary to statements published in the press of supposed unruly and provocative behavior displayed by the Bersih 2.0 participants. Additionally, none of the eyewitnesses stated that there was any destruction of property during the rally, with one stating that “no one (even) litter(ed)”.

The eyewitnesses who were asked for their reasons to participate were also clear that it was within their constitutionally guaranteed rights to assemble peacefully and to freely express their opinions, in this case to call for fair and clean elections. There were also clear statements of ‘unity’ witnessed among the participants of the rally, with one person describing it as a ‘carnival of solidarity’, as people sang the national anthem together, and chanted slogans such as “Hidup Rakyat” (“long live the people”).

"As we were somewhat close to the front, we sat down almost immediately. Suddenly, without warning (and without provocation from anyone), multiple shots of tear gas were fired at us. It was extremely strong. People started running for cover. As the hospital compound was the nearest and safest place for us to seek shelter in, we ran to it”

Out of the 18 statements, 15 individuals were in the compound of Tung Shin Hospital between 2.00 p.m. to 4.00 p.m. on the 9^th of July 2011, while 9 participants were also in the compound of Chinese Maternity Hospital. One participant was on the road between both these hospitals, and gave testimony from her vantage point.

Several witnesses stated that before they were in the hospital compounds, they were on Jalan Pudu with thousands of other participants. The riot police and FRU trucks had ‘sealed’ off the area from both ends (on one end near Terminal Bas Puduraya, and on the other end near the Swiss Garden Hotel). As such, the participants were ‘trapped’ in a situation without anywhere to disperse to. When the FRU trucks and riot police moved closer to the crowds, some of the witnesses stated that they saw YB Sivarasa Rasiah move to the front of the crowd where he appeared to be negotiating with the enforcement officers.  Some of the participants sat down at that point.

The firing of tear gas at the participants then happened “suddenly” and without warning. There was no mention, however, of provocation of the police by the participants, or any behavior that would reasonably justify an attack.

Running for shelter, the witnesses ended up in the compounds of either Tung Shin Hospital or Chinese Maternity Hospital, which both happened to be the nearest and safest places to seek refuge. It would not have been possible for participants to run further down the road on either direction as the area was cordoned off by FRU trucks and riot police.

The witnesses stated that they were in the compound of the hospitals to avoid tear gas and water cannons, recuperate from the effects of being hit previously with tear gas, and to wait until it was safe for them to either disperse peacefully or continue on with the march.

One witness stated that participants from the rally were initially not allowed to enter into the main building of Tung Shin hospital. A nurse, however, later opened the door to allow participants to enter. There were no statements of disturbances caused by the participants within the building, with one witness stating that the participants remained quiet in the waiting area of the hospital.

As the participants waited in the compound of Tung Shin Hospital, the police and FRU trucks moved into a line in front of the main entrance and exit to the hospital. This effectively prevented any participants from leaving the hospital, even if they wanted to.

“We thought we were safe. We were resting in an area. Then we got teargase(d). I am 52. I had a major infection and asthma attack. A few days later, I actually went back to Tung Shin Hospital for medical aid”.

While the participants were in the compound of Tung Shin Hospital, the police began to fire tear gas and water cannons into the hospital compound. One witness stated that she was standing near the Emergency entrance where the ambulances are parked when a tear gas canister dropped one foot away from her. Another witness stated that he saw smoke from tear gas canisters in the area of the open-air carpark of Tung Shin Hospital. Out of the 18 statements obtained, 16 witnesses explicitly stated seeing tear gas fired into hospital compounds, while 4 stated seeing water cannons fired into hospital compounds.

When the police and FRU trucks ‘retreated’ from the main entrance of the hospitals, the witnesses who were within Tung Shin Hospital began to leave the hospital and move back to the main road. The riot police, however, once more began to move towards the crowd, and more tear gas was fired at the participants. Some of the witnesses then ran into Chinese Maternity Hospital to seek refuge from the riot police.

“I witnessed about 10 participants being arrested at the Chinese Maternity Hospital. The police ran after the participants by grabbing their shirts and pants. Some were pushed down, beaten and handcuffed. When some of the participants started resisting the arrest, they were beaten up with baton. At Chinese Maternity Hospital, the police attack the participants as they were saying “Doa”.

One witness stated that there were approximately 100 participants who sought refuge in the compound of Chinese Maternity Hospital. The statements by some of the witnesses described how the police (approximately 20 personnel) charged into the hospital grounds with truncheons and plastic cable ties.

The statements reflect the police action of using excessive and wholly unjustified force to arrest some of the participants within the compound.  There were descriptions by the witnesses of police beating other participants on the head, chest, back and torso. Some participants also witnessed persons being shoved, dragged and kicked by the police.

None of the 18 witnesses, however, were among those who had physical force inflicted directly on them by the police, nor were they arrested in the hospital compounds.

“I just felt really angry towards this unnecessary use of force and the lack of disrespect even at hospital grounds. Everyone who was there was really upset because we all thought hospital grounds to be neutral and safe. But to see for ourselves the extent of police abuse of power really angered us. We had the realization that if hospitals were not safe, nowhere is.”

All of the witnesses either in or near Tung Shin and Chinese Maternity hospitals opined that the police action of firing teargas and chemical-laced water cannons onto the participants of the Bersih 2.0 rally was completely unjustified as the crowd was peaceful and orderly.

The excessive and unnecessary force by the police while arresting participants of the rally was also strongly condemned by the witnesses. This was further emphasized as no participants were seen violently resisting arrest, or behaving in any manner that would warrant a heavy-handed approach by the police.

The ‘attack’ on Tung Shin and Chinese Maternity Hospitals with tear gas and water cannons was also unequivocally condemned by the witnesses. Hospitals are seen as ‘places of sanctuary’ that ought to be protected. Furthermore, witnesses expressed ‘disgust’ and ‘outrage’ that the health and well-being of patients within the hospital were endangered by the enforcement officers who shot harmful chemicals into the hospital. While one witness stated that she saw a man become ‘agitated’ within the compound of Tung Shin Hospital, she further stated that a group of participants immediately calmed him down successfully.  Other than shouts of anger, frustration and shock by the participants at the firing of teargas and water cannons into the hospitals, all witnesses within Tung Shin and Chinese Maternity Hospitals firmly stated that there were no incidences of violence or untoward behavior by the participants within the compounds of the hospitals.

“Extreme discomfort;  a burning sensation in eyes, mouth and skin; shortness of breath; nausea; breathing difficulties. Yes, the other protestors seeking refuge in the hospital compound complained of similar reactions.”

Witnesses who experienced the effects of tear gas and water cannons stated the adverse reactions to their immediate, and in one instance at least, extended, well being. Severe burning and tearing of the eyes, coughing, gagging, choking, nausea, vomiting, burning of the mouth and throat and itchiness of the skin were the effects of tear gas and water cannons described by the witnesses. One witness stated that she experienced a lung infection and an asthma attack which she had to seek treatment for. Another witness stated that the skin from her face had peeled off the morning after the rally, which she attributed to effects of the tear gas. Some witnesses expressed gratitude for the sharing of salt (which assisted in reducing the effects of teargas), kindness and support received by fellow participants.

“I believe my constitutional rights were violated. In particular, the right to express freely was violated. I believe I have a right to ask for a fair election”

The witnesses believed that their constitutionally guaranteed liberties, in particular their rights to freedom of assembly and freedom of expression were violated by the enforcement officers at the Bersih 2.0 rally. Furthermore, their right to be free from harm, a fundamental right as stated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, was also denied by the enforcement officers. By condoning and even defending these acts, the State is therefore also seen to be responsible for this violation of rights.

Conclusion

The testimonies of the 18 witnesses and the photographic evidence obtained demonstrate clearly that Tung Shin Hospital and Chinese Maternity Hospital were attacked by the enforcement officers with tear gas and chemical-laced water cannons, and that the police exercised brutal and excessive force against participants seeking refuge within the hospital compound.  This violation of the principle of ‘hospitals as places of sanctuary’ and the police brutality witnessed must be taken by Human Rights Commission with utmost urgency.

As one witness said, ‘democratic voices must be heard, but (this) isn’t the case in Malaysia’. The State must be held accountable for the repression of the democratic rights of its citizens. The enforcement officers that abused their power and attacked the participants of the Bersih 2.0 rally must also be held accountable for their actions.

ENDS - Report by Tenaganita

Too many chiefs, too few Indians?

Malaysiakini: Too many chiefs, too few Indians?

Mariam Mokhtar
Aug 1, 11
11:19am

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When Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak promoted the MIC president, G Palanivel, to become a full minister, no one was shocked. It was typical of Najib's arrogance and lack of leadership to put politics over policies, material goods over meritocracy, enticement over engagement.
Whilst Palanivel's promotion served to highlight Najib's hubris, lack of focus and his deepening moral decline, it also showed his desperation to win the next general election. If policies won't work, then political manoeuvring will.
Isn't our Prime Minister's Department staffed with ministers who have come in through the back door or whom many consider bootlickers? Many will be familiar with the expression Too many chiefs and not enough Indians.
More importantly, the promotion does not make sense at a time when the government tells us to adopt austerity measures and that it, too, might go bankrupt.
Perhaps, Samy Vellu (left) could be stripped of his pseudo ministerial status, which must cost the taxpayer several millions, and redirect this allocation to Palanivel.
What is so extraordinary about Samy Vellu, our 'special envoy' who is given a ministerial rank? What does he know? Why is he paid over RM27,000 monthly and given “conveniences and other allowances” as well as a staff of six and an office in Plaza Sentral, Kuala Lumpur?
Why will Najib not take stock of the situation? His lack of scruples meant he resorted to his “deal or no deal”, RM5 million election gimmick, as in Sibu - his “You help me, I help you” moment of infamy.
When will Najib understand that the public purse does not belong to him? When will this product of a respected English public school and a graduate of an equally prestigious university realise that blackmail and bribery would not be condoned by his alma maters?
At the 65th MIC general assembly, Palanivel had urged Najib to reward “hardworking” Indians from the estates, and road and railway workers whose toil had helped build Malaysia. He wanted Najib to increase the budget allocation and form a special unit to help the Indian community.
He said, “The Indian community is waiting for your good moves, sir, good announcements and good plans. If you can fulfill all the requirements that I have put forward... you can rest assured that the Indian votes will automatically return to Barisan Nasional.”
Najib's response was: “There must be an understanding. Can you all deliver for Barisan Nasional? You can deliver and we will deliver”.
There are more questions raised by both Palanivel's and Najib's statements.
The most important being: What has BN and MIC done for the Indian community in the 54 years since independence?
Come every election, the Indians will be told that BN/MIC are the only parties for them. Then we hear that the MIC representative is hardly seen until the next election.
Facing a multitude of problems
The Indians face a multitude of problems such as the following: Not being issued with birth certificates or identity cards. Terrible conditions in Tamil schools. Tamil schools which are not legally sited. A lack of proper burial sites or graveyards. Demolition of temples. Temples without land titles. High suicide rates. High dropout rates in school. High crime rates and gangsterism. High levels of domestic violence in families. High levels of poverty.
These are not new problems. They have been around since independence but what have the elected MIC politicians done about resolving them? How strong is their commitment?
In the 2010 census, Indians made up 7 percent of the 28 million population. The Ninth Malaysian Plan stated that Indians controlled 1.2 percent of the corporate wealth. Contrast this decline with TimeAsia's report of 1.5 percent in 2000 with corresponding figures for the Malays (19.4 percent) and Chinese (38.5 percent).
So is looking after 2 million Indians very difficult? Or are there more Indians than the official statistics claim? Moreover, are the allegations about elected MIC politicians lining their own coffers and ignoring the electorate to be believed?
So how does Palanivel (right in photo) attempt to woo the Indians? He is beginning to sound like Najib, who told an audience in Sepang after his return from a trip to the Vatican, ostensibly to improve ties between the Christians and Muslims in Malaysia, that he would only respect Christians if the Christians would respect him.
Both Palanivel and Najib have to realise that respect is earned, just as people's votes, have to be earned.
If the Indian vote is increasingly difficult for BN to command then perhaps it is the politicians who ought to realise that race can never be used to win votes.
Palanivel is wrong to say that the Indian votes “will automatically return to Barisan Nasional”. MIC does not represent all Indians.
For almost a month, Dr D Jeyakumar of the Parti Sosialis Malaysia has been detained without charge. Were there protests from MIC about this illegal detention? Palanivel may have demanded the release of the PSM 6, but he was only vocal in the days before they were freed.
If Palanivel thinks MIC is the champion of the Indians, he might want to do a lot of soul searching and footwork.
In Sungei Siput, some members of the community allege that during Samy Vellu's reign, the ex-MIC leader did very little to alleviate the suffering of the poor Indians in the community.
'Poverty did not exist in Sungei Siput'
When it came to election time, when freebies and food were in abundance at MIC functions, it was alleged that the ex-MIC leader would proudly boast that poverty did not exist in Sungei Siput.
He obviously did not do his homework or go on a walkabout. Families living on RM300 a month and living in dilapidated shacks were common. It was also alleged that anyone who dared contradict Samy Vellu with regard to poverty, would receive a visit from his thugs.
During the recent furore with the PSD scholarships, one poor Indian teenager in the area who scored 8 As was refused a scholarship to do medicine. She decided to ask an MIC politician for assistance to secure funds. He in turn, allegedly asked her, “What's in it for me?”
If Palanivel thinks the MIC can deliver the votes, he might want to reconsider his moves.
Actions always speak louder than words. But this advice should perhaps be heeded by Najib more than anyone else, for as we enter the fasting month of Ramadan, Najib might want to reflect on his deeds and his conduct.
How can he consider himself to be a true and pious Muslim when corruption is the order of the day in Umno/BN?

MARIAM MOKHTAR is a non-conformist traditionalist from Perak, a bucket chemist and an armchair eco-warrior. In 'real-speak', this translates into that she comes from Ipoh, values change but respects culture, is a petroleum chemist and also an environmental pollution-control scientist.

Why Najib Abdul Razak must go

Why Najib must go

Mariam Mokhtar
Jul 25, 11
1:42pm

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The rakyat is angry with all politicians, not just BN or the opposition.

We have had 54 years of Umno/BN rule and have things really got any better? The rich appear to get richer, whilst the numbers who make up the poor, are increasing.
The old class system was royalty versus the serfs. Then it was the colonialists against the Malayans. Now it looks like it is the Umnoputras versus the rest.
The Umnoputras are the new elite. Even royalty depends on the largesse of those who lead Umno/BN to get funding from the civil list.
When it suits them, BN will use emotional blackmail on the Malays to say that their heartland and their birthright is being threatened.
The British left us with a country that had enormous potential. Malaya had an abundance of wealth, from tin to timber, minerals to mining.
Singapore was only a trading port for all of Malaya's riches. Look at Singapore now.
Malaya was rich in natural resources and it was these riches that helped fund the British war effort in the First World War. However, one untapped resource then as it is now, are its people - the Malaysians - Orang Asli, Malays, Chinese, Indians, the East Malaysians, Eurasians and all the rest.
Over the years, all these people contributed towards the success that we now see in the country. It is not BN or Umno or the Opposition who are responsible. It is the hard work and fortitude of those Malaysians who love their country.
However, the Umnoputras are the new royalty and they are siphoning away riches that should be shared with the rest of the rakyat. They take but they never give. They forget that all Malaysians deserve the same considerations and protections as other individuals working in the country.
Prime minister Najib Abdul Razak (right) was not elected to the post. He leads the country by default. He has shown very little ability to govern or to engage with the rakyat.
He only pays lip service to his speech to delegates of the 65th United Nations General Assembly; he said that extremists should not be allowed. At home, Malay extremists were permitted to express their insensitive racist and religious views without being punished.

Tighten belts

His administration tells us to tighten our belts but it appears he does not have to heed his own advice. He freely uses taxpayers' money on his personal comfort. How does he have the gall to spend RM63 million on renovations on Seri Perdana when some people do not have a decent roof over their heads?
Taxpayers' money is also used to fund his expenses abroad. One trip to the US was combined with his daughter's graduation ceremony. Another trip to Kazakhstan with a large entourage of officials coincided with his daughter's engagement ceremony. Quite a few regarded it as morally wrong.
When Najib's wife, the self-styled "First Lady", appeared in the New York Times centre-fold, the rakyat was irked further when it was alleged that US$4 million had been spent on this self-publicity drive.
Perhaps Najib is not at all bothered about emptying the public purse. In comparison, if we owed a government department one ringgit, we would be hounded like criminals.
Najib and his administration are devoid of morality. He need not go on about the opposition and their spending when people who have been found practising money politics to head government institutions.
How can he claim that other Muslim nations should follow Malaysia's lead, because Malaysia's system of governance is based on moderate Islam and has worked?
What about corruption, the abuse of power, the use of racial or religious sentiments to divide the public and the lack of credibility of the country's institutions?
Why can Najib not make decisions which will lead to monumental improvements in democracy in Malaysia?
Instead he wants to build monuments to his vanity like the proposed 100-storey Warisan Merdeka. These are mere phallic symbols for Umno/BN.

Intolerance increasing

In Najib's Malaysia, levels of aggression and intolerance by some Malays towards non-Malays or non-Muslims have increased. Malays who make racial and religious slurs go unchecked, despite Najib's promises to eradicate extremism.
Bersih, which called for free and fair elections, has been outlawed by Najib. Is he not interested in clean elections? Does he not wish to prove that Umno has won every election by fair means? Why is he afraid of free and fair elections?
Why is he afraid of allowing international observers to oversee the elections? Surely, international observers would scotch all of the opposition's claims that Umno tampers with the election results.
On the other hand, the recent deportation of French lawyer, William Bourdon, can only mean one thing. There is something to hide.
Bourdon, who is representing local NGO Suaram, believes that details of beneficiaries and kickbacks from theRM7.3 billion Scorpene submarine deal will be revealed when the matter is raised in an ongoing French corruption trial against defence giant DCNS.
If all is above board the parties involved would surely want to clear their name. Or even prove that the Scorpene scandal has nothing to do with them.
The shame is that other Umno/BN members are aware of the truth and that Najib is an incapable leader. However, these people are not willing to help the country because they only want to save themselves. Perhaps, they are themselves implicated or maybe they fear for their own safety.
But we, the rakyat, are telling Najib that it is time he went.
If he is still unconvinced that he is not the man for the job (of leading the country), he should have known by now, that being PM is a poisoned chalice.

MARIAM MOKHTAR is a non-conformist traditionalist from Perak, a bucket chemist and an armchair eco-warrior. In 'real-speak', this translates into that she comes from Ipoh, values change but respects culture, is a petroleum chemist and also an environmental pollution-control scientist.

Queen Elizabeth II yellow dress when meeting Najib is not a coincident

Let me tell you why the Queen wearing yellow when granting an audience to Najib was NOT a coincidence or a faux pas.

Dear Reader,
Let me tell you why Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II wearing yellow when granting an audience to our Prime Minister and his wife was not a coincidence or a faux pas. As much as UMNO would prefer to think otherwise.

Fact 1. The Queen, contrary to popular belief, is very much well-informed. She is constantly kept abreast of the latest developments and news pertaining to her realm and her government by her team of palace advisers, secretaries and civil servants. They, in turn, gather their information from various sources, including ministries, government departments, Scotland Yard, 10 Downing Street, and members of the press corp in the UK. (Scotland Yard, knowing that the Queen would be granting an audience to the Prime Minister of Malaysia, would have certainly informed the Palace of the many demonstrations in London by Bersih 2.0 supporters.)
When a visiting dignitary is scheduled to meet the Queen, she is always fully briefed on the background of her visitor, the current situation of her visitor's home country, and the DO's and DON'T's to observe. Particularly, she would be informed of developments in her own realm regarding the visitor. Scenes in London like the one in the photo below would not have escaped Her Majesty's team of advisers, who in turn would have briefed the Queen. So, to assume that she was not aware of Bersih 2.0 is untenable.

Fact 2. Royal wardrobe and fashion is strictly regulated, and the Queen and members of the Royal Family are always careful not to make any fashion faux pas or distress their guests. Her advisers would have advised her to stay away from wearing yellow, and explained the significance of the colour in present circumstances. As Sarawak Report suggests, “she MUST have been informed of the sensitivity of the colour yellow”.
My friend (and fashion writer) Sasha Bashir commented at my facebook, “I have read in several write ups about Princess Diana's wardrobe that English royals are always briefed on current issues and what colours should and should not be worn. One I can remember is that she visited some country where they had just lost an important football match and the whole country was upset about it. The baju she was going to wear at state formal dinner was same colour as flag of the other country, so she had to change her wardrobe plans. Kate Middleton is also following this kind of thing. On her trip to Canada recently, she wore white dress, red shoes and red maple leaf hat. Canada flag is red, white with maple leaf. The royals are not supposed to be fashion icons (even though people like Princess Di and Kate are), they are to be fashion diplomats. :)”
Fact 3. Besides attending public events, state dinners, receiving dignitaries and horse races, the Queen actually does paper work! Yes, Her Majesty, like many of us, has her daily duty of working at one of her many desks reading and signing state papers and official documents (often classified as secret). British fastidiousness with information and intelligence gathering is well-known. Her cache of papers would most definitely have included confidential dossiers on Najib Razak and Malaysia. And Bersih 2.0.

Copyright Press Association Images
Fact 4. Besides official papers, she also reads the newspapers. Knowing that she would be meeting the Prime Minister of Malaysia, an article in The Guardian, a respected British newspaper, with the headline "Malaysia's Najib must abandon the Mubarak model", would surely have caught her eye.
Fact 5. The Queen meets her Prime Minister once a week, every week. It would have been incumbent upon David Cameron to apprise the Queen of Najib Razak and Malaysia, in view that he would be visiting the UK on an official trip. News of the Bersih 2.0 rally in Kuala Lumpur, being reported globally the same week the Queen had her weekly meeting with David Cameron, would most definitely have been a topic of conversation. It is also a practice for the British Prime Minister to advise the Monarch on how to appropriately respond to political situations of the day, since she is constitutionally apolitical.
Did Cameron therefore gently suggest that the Queen wear yellow as a message to our Prime Minister and also to the people of Malaysia? Where Cameron could not publicly chastise Najib, the Queen could, with regal aplomb, send a strong message?
Fact 6. The Queen is a politically astute woman who has seen twelve British prime ministers serve under her reign, the liststarting with Winston Churchill, no less! Her vast experience in international relations and diplomacy is unchallenged and she would thoroughly understand the subtleties and symbolism attached to what one says and what one wears. To assume that Her Majesty has no political acumen is completely ludicrous.
Fact 7. Everything the Queen does is planned in advance and takes into consideration all factors. Everything has a reason, even right down to the colour of the flowers in her audience chamber! Nothing is coincidental, random or arbitrary where the Queen of the United Kingdom is concerned.

These seven facts alone allow us to reasonably conclude that the Queen was very much aware of Bersih 2.0 and the significance of the colour yellow, besides it being the royal colour for Malaysian royalty.
The question now is, knowing full well the sensitivity of the colour yellow, what was the reason behind Her Majesty deciding to wear yellow when meeting our Prime Minister and his lovely wife? The answer, dear reader, is yours to conclude.

The author read law and politics in the UK from 1989 to 1992, where he was greatly fascinated (and still is) with the British Royal Family, the Queen in particular.

Posted by Vernon Kedit at 6:12 PM
http://beingvernon.blogspot.com/2011/07/let-me-tell-you-why-queen-wearing.html

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Please help to spread the message if you wish to see changes for a better Malaysia. Forward  to everyone in your email contacts list, asking them to send out via their email list too, so that more people will come out to vote wisely in the 13th General Election for the sake of your present and future generations.

A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.

Najib and the Queen – We all live in a yellow submarine

Deans John writes about UMNO/BN’s insanity in dealing with events and matters from Najib’s administration arresting people in yellow T-shirts and being ambushed by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on Najib’s official visit to Buckingham Palace. Read for yourself Deans sarcastic writings on UMNO/BN going totally bananas:

BN goes totally bananas

Dean Johns
Jul 20, 11
1:11pm

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The madder the Malaysian people get with the antics of the Umno/BN regime, the loonier this bunch of fruit-loops behaves. Which makes sense in a crazy kind of way, I suppose.
If, as has often been said, insanity is doing the same things over and over and expecting a different outcome, then they're insane by definition. Criminally insane, in fact, as they clearly expect to get away forever with their ceaseless cheating, thievery and deceit.
And now that their megalomania, kleptomania and delusions of grandeur and privilege are so seriously threatened by Bersih 2.0 and its massive popular support, they've gone so totally bananas that even the sight of the colour yellow drives them into a phobic frenzy.
There was a time when Umno/BN was able to keep its inanity and insanity pretty well local and under wraps. But following its psychopathic response to the Bersih 2.0 rally, its batty behaviour is out there for all the world to see.
With waves of yellow greeting Najib Abdul Razak wherever he goes on his global flights of fancy, and protestors singing 'Yellow Submarine' to remind him of both Bersih 2.0 and persistent suspicion of his involvement in the Scorpene scandal.
And even Queen Elizabeth, bless her heart, ambushed him and the dotty Rosmah by wearing yellow when they turned up for their PR coup and photo-op at Buckingham Palace.
Such a radical reality-check clearly hasn't brought Najib to his senses, however, as he's proceeded with his daft scheme to drop in on the Pope, and kept on making loony claims as to the “moderate” nature of his rotten regime to whoever will grant him an audience.

And while he's been away on his overseas ramblings, he has had his chief lackey Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz read a speech on his behalf at the opening of the Commonwealth Magistrates' and Judges' Conference 2011 in Kuala Lumpur.
This was a bid to entertain delegates from 32 countries with the zany claim that "safeguarding and ensuring the continued independence of the judiciary is an ideal that Malaysia is wholly committed to”.
Huh? Do Najib and his mouthpiece Nazri imagine that lawyers and judges from all over the Commonwealth are so gullible as to believe such garbage? Or such idiots that they're unaware of the political show-trials of Anwar Ibrahim, and the no-trials of Umno/BN bigwigs for suspected corruption, abuse of power and even murder?
Do Najib and Nazri think jurists around the world live such sheltered lives that they've never heard of such cock-eyed miscarriages of justice as the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder trial, the A Kugan death-in-custody whitewash, the iniquitous inquest findings of “neither murder nor suicide” in the death of Teoh Beng Hock, and the suspicious withholding of royal commission report into Teoh's case?
Apparently so, as Najib's speech went on to subject the hapless audience to such gibberish as “strengthening the judiciary as an institution is a continuously evolving process. In Malaysia, a pluralist society, it is critical that the court meets the needs of its citizenry, by improving and increasing access to justice.”

Nutters galore
But Najib is by no means the only Umno/BN nutter out there making nit-witted statements. Home Minister Hishammuddin 'Who's sane?' Hussein, staunch advocate of government supporters' right to protest, went so berserk over Bersih 2.0 that he declared it an illegal organisation and, in a fit of characteristic paranoia, illegally 'empowered' his crackpot cops to arrest people wearing yellow, even to the extent of seeking them out in hotels and other premises without search warrants.
Hishammuddin's most demented move, however, was to order the pre-rally arrest of six members of Parti Socialis Malaysia, Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj, A Letchumanan, M Sukumaran, Sarasvathy Muthu, Choo Chon Kai and Sarat Babu, under the Emergency Ordinance on charges of 'spreading communist ideology' and 'waging war' against the Agong. They have yet to be released.
It would be difficult to make the government look more dangerously deranged than Hishammuddin does, But Najib's joking dismissal of injuries inflicted by police on Anwar during the Bersih 2.0 rally certainly went close. As did the entire Umno/BN regime's total lack of sympathy for the death of Baharudin Ahmad in the course of the march.
Another act of Umno/BN lunacy has been the denial by Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai of the fact that police fired teargas into the grounds of Tung Shin Hospital during the rally.

Even video evidence and declarations by hospital doctors that he was wrong, have failed to bring Liow to his senses, as he then claimed that criticism of his erroneous statements had been designed by people who were out to get him.
Not to be outdone, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has been frothing at the mouth with threats against Bersih 2.0 and its supporters, as in a recent diatribe against “creating public hatred towards the government”.
Tourism Minister Dr Ng Yen Yen blamed the rally for costing KL hotels and retailers the fanciful figure of RM100 million in lost revenue. Deputy Finance Minister Awang Adek Hussin demanded the freezing of the assets of the rally organisers if it could be proven that the movement had received funds from foreign NGOs. And on the same money-mad theme, Information, Communication and Culture Minister Rais Yatim idiotically implied that protestors had been paid to attend the rally.
However, it was the mainstream media over which Rais presides that made the most maniacal claims, with Utusan Malaysia, which had earlier blamed Christians and Communists for supporting Bersih, now trying to pin suspicions on the Jews; and the New Sunday Timesand Berita Minggu running a clearly doctored picture purportedly showing a protestor armed with a knife.
And as if all the aforementioned hasn't been enough Umno/BN dementia to be going on with, UiTM has called for nominations for the Ibrahim Ali Leadership Award, in 'honour' of the leader of the government-sponsored racist pressure-group, Perkasa.
Talk about going bananas to an extreme, self-destructive extent. But what other option have the screwballs of Umno/BN left themselves?
They're finally aware that they have one foot on a banana skin and the other foot in the grave.
Maybe they figure that, when they're politically dead and buried and put on trial for all they've done that has been unsanitary, at least they can plead insanity.

DEAN JOHNS, after many years in Asia, currently lives with his Malaysian-born wife and daughter in Sydney, where he coaches and mentors writers and authors and practises as a writing therapist. Published books of his columns for Malaysiakini include 'Mad about Malaysia', 'Even Madder about Malaysia', 'Missing Malaysia' and '1Malaysia.con'.

An inconvenient truth – statement by doctors in Tung Shin Hospital

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AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH

We, the undersigned  doctors, wish not to enter into the polemics of the Bersih 2.0 march on 9th July 2011 but would like to clarify the inconvenient truth.
We are outraged at the incidents, and the subsequent responses  from the authorities, to the events where tear gas and chemical laced water were shot into the compounds of Tung Shin and Chinese Maternity Hospitals, two adjacent buildings along Jalan Pudu, Kuala Lumpur, with scant regard  for the safety of patients, staff and the general public who were at the buildings  that afternoon. 

Hospitals  are considered  as safe sanctuaries for all, even during war times, but  these consecrated places of refuge and protection were  violated by the defence forces that afternoon.  Police even entered the buildings in search of some of these peaceful marchers.  What was most frightening and witnessed by many  was the unprovoked violent assault within the hospital compounds and apprehension of several protesters who had merely run into the hospitals to seek shelter from the tear gas and the water cannons!

It is repulsive   that the authorities entrusted with policing the nation and protecting the weak and needy, have shamelessly denied publicly, the occurrence  of these incidents  IN SPITE of countless photo/video and eye witness accounts of what was evident to all independent observers.
A few of the undersigned were actually visiting or working in the hospitals concerned at the time of the events and will gladly provide sworn affidavits, if required, as to veracity of the incidents
The Malaysian public expect holders of high public office to honour their positions accorded by the citizens, by discharging their duties with moral integrity, dignity  and transparency.
Their failure to do so raises the public's  doubts in their competence and credibilty as much as it demeans those high offices.

Dr Ng Kwee Boon - Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist
Datin Dr Low Paik See - Consultant Paediatrician
Dato’ Dr Musa Mohd Nordin - Consultant Paediatrician & Neonatologist
Dr Mazeni Alwi - Consultant Paediatric Cardiologist
Dr David Quek - Consultant Cardiologist
Dr Sheikh Johari Bux - Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist
Dr Steve Wong - Consultant Plastic Surgeon
Dr Ahmad Farouk Musa - Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon
Dr Ng Swee Choon - Consultant Cardiologist

A joke: Stupidity of Najib and Muhyidin

Najib asked the Queen, "Your Majesty, how do you run such an efficient

government?  Are there any tips you can give to me?"
" Well," said the Queen, "the most important thing is to surround
yourself with intelligent people."
Najib frowned, and then asked, " But how do I know the people around
me are really intelligent?"
The Queen took a sip of tea. "Oh, that's easy; you just ask them to
answer an intelligent riddle."
The Queen pushed a button on her intercom.
"Please send Tony Blair in here, would you?"
Tony Blair walked into the room and said, "Yes, my Queen?"
The Queen smiled and said, "Answer me this please, Tony, your mother
and father have a child.
It is not your brother and it is not your sister. Who is it?"
Without pausing for a moment, Tony Blair answered, "That would be me."
"Yes! Very good," said the Queen.
Najib went back home to ask Muhyiddin the same question. "answer this
for me. Your mother and your father have a child.
It's not your brother and it's not your sister. Who is it?"
"I'm not sure," said Muhyiddin. "Let me get back to you on that one..."
He went to his advisors and asked every one, but none could give him an answer.
Finally, he ended up in the men's room and recognized Lim Guan Eng's
shoes in the next stall.
Muhyiddin didn't want but asked anyway, "Lim, can you answer this for me?
Your mother and father have a child and it's not your brother or your
sister. Who is it?"
Lim yelled back, "That's easy, it's me!"
Mahyudin smiled, and said, "Thanks!"
Then, he went back to speak with Najib.
"Sir, I did some research and I have the answer to that riddle.
It's Lim Guan Eng!"
Najib got up, stomped over to Muhyiddin, and angrily yelled into his face.
"No! You idiot!  It's Tony Blair!"
AND THAT MY FRIENDS , IS PRECISELY WHAT'S GOING ON WITH OUR FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT IN Putrajaya !!

Queen Elizabeth joins BERSIH call for clean and fair election

Well, the is how I interpret Queen Elizabeth meeting the liar Najib Abdul Razak while wearing a bright yellow dress. Wonder if Najib is still thick skin or he got the hint:

 

Sizzling yellow reception for Najib in UK

Jul 15, 11 2:22pm

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Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's visit to the United Kingdom was greeted by protesters in yellow condemning the high-handed crackdown on Bersih 2.0 rally last Saturday and demanded electoral reform.
Dozens of protesters, comprising both Malaysians and foreigners, gathered outside Mansion House at London an hour before Najib's arrivalfor a meeting with the London business community.
Yellow posters and banners, condemning the clampdown on Bersih 2.0 were unfurled, urging the Malaysian government to release six Parti Sosialis (PSM) activists dubbed "EO6" being held under the Emergency Ordinance which allows indefinite detention without trial.
According to theSarawak Reportportal, Najib in a big convoy gave a cheery wave as soon as he spotted the crowd.
It said the protest went off peacefully with the policing minimal and friendly.
According to a protester, PKR youth leader Ginie Lim the police deployed a truck to block the protesters from the view of the delegates attending the meeting.

Yellow begins to reign supreme

There was another peaceful protest at Downing Street, London, where the official residence of UK Prime Minister is located. Najib was there to meet his UK counterpart, David Cameron.

Both leaders signed a memorandum of understanding on enhancing strategic cooperation to combat trans-boundary crime and international terrorism.
Protesters in yellow clothes put up posters, in matching colour, that read "Shame on you, Malaysia PM, clean and fair election and free our leaders now".
Another protest will be called at the Inter Continental Hotel today in UK time 7pm where Najib is expected to attend a function.

Before the meeting with Cameron, both Najib and his wife, Rosmah Mansor, had an audience with Queen Elizabeth II yesterday in Buckingham Palace, who coincidently wore a bright yellow dress.